Thursday, April 2, 2015, 10:51 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Only In Him.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. This is what the Lord Jesus placed on my heart this morning:

We get this notion in today’s modern and worldly church gatherings that we are supposed to ignore one another’s sins, and that it is unloving to confront a brother or a sister who is caught (trapped) in sin (regular willful acts of defiance against God’s commands). We are told to “stay in your own lane” and/or to not insert ourselves in the lives of others, or we are told that all judgment is wrong, so we should never make any kind of judgment concerning willful and consistent sinful behavior in a brother or a sister’s life.

Galatians 6:1-3 says: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”​

It doesn’t say ignore the sin. It does say we should make sure our hearts are in the right place first, and that we are not thinking somehow we are better, and that we should make sure we are not equally as guilty of holding on to some other sin thinking our sin is somehow less offensive to God. All sin is sin. But, then we should restore the brother or sister, meaning we don’t hate the person or talk bad about them or treat them unkindly, but we help them, if they are willing, to get back on the right path and to forsake their sins.

God’s grace to us is not a free license to continue in willful sin against God, free from guilt and remorse, though many teach it that way. If you read Titus 2:11-14, you will see that God’s grace that brings salvation to us teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we wait for his return.

Matthew 7:1-5 says: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”​

This is not saying we should make no judgments at all with regard to sin in other people’s lives. It is an indictment, though, against hypocritical judging. Notice that it says that once we have removed the log from our own eyes, then we can see clearly to take the speck out of our brother’s eyes. This fits perfectly with Galatians 6:1-3, as well.

James 5:19-20 says: “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”​

This is love. So many people think ignoring sin is love, but it is selfishness, for we don’t want that other person to not like us, or we don’t want other people thinking badly about us, and so we avoid telling people the truth. Lies are not loving, though. They never are! The ones who truly love others are willing to tell others the truth about their sin, even though they know they will probably be hated in return. What did Jesus say to his brothers who did not believe in him?

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.” ~ Jn. 7:7​

Jesus did not die for our sins so that we would continue in them. He died to set us free from the control of sin over our lives. This is true grace! This is love! The best way we can love our brothers and sisters in Christ is to care enough about them to tell them the truth, not in hypocritical judgment, but in genuine love and concern for their welfare.

ONLY IN HIM / An Original Work / February 19, 2014Based off Isaiah 30

Woe to those who look to man’s help;
Who turn away from Jesus Christ;
Forming an alliance not in step with God;
Making their own plans, and praying not.

Willing not to listen to truth,
They close their ears to what is right.
Pleasing words are all that they’ll hear;
Feel good messages that bring cheer.

Trust in your Lord; turn from your sin.
Put your faith now ONLY IN HIM.
Do not turn to idols. They’ll not satisfy.
Jesus will save you. That’s why He died.

Your Lord will be gracious to you.
He cares all about you, ‘tis true.
He forgives you all of your sin
When you give your life up to Him.

Oh, how truly gracious He’ll be
When you bow to Him on your knees;
Turning now from your sin; walking in his ways.
He’ll lead and guide you all of your days.

Now you will sing praises to Him.
He delivered you from your sin.
You’ll tell others now of His grace,
So they may see Christ face-to-face.